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The workout below is for 6 Weeks to Stronger, SELF’s new six-week workout plan geared toward building serious strength. Check out the full program right here for the rest of your workouts and more important info!
Your second workout—we hope you waited at least 48 hours after your first!—will follow the same formula. It’s packed with exercises that will work your entire body.
Again, you’ll start with one big lift, which is programmed in a way to foster getting stronger. Your rep range stays pretty low (so you can choose a weight that really feels challenging to you) and you’ll rest for a full two to three minutes after each set so you can put in the same amount of work for the next one. One key difference from Workout 1, though: Your main lift, the Romanian deadlift, is lower-body focused instead of upper-body, which helps provide balance to your program. (For more intel on our program, make sure you check out the primer here.)
Your workout will continue to follow the same pattern. Your circuit comes next, and you’ll hit your other muscles with big compound moves here too: the pullover (which primarily hits your back), the split squat (hammers your quads and glutes), and the chest press (yep, that hits your chest). Finally, you’ll round out your routine with a set of two exercises that’ll hit what’s left: your rear delts (the small muscles in the back of your shoulders which play a huge role in posture) and your abductors, the tiny muscles along the side of your butt that help keep your hips stable.
The Workout
What you need: Dumbbells (or a barbell if you prefer). A weight bench and a mini-band are optional. You may also want an exercise mat for comfort.
Exercises
Straight Set:
- Romanian Deadlift
Circuit:
- Pullover
- Split Squat
- Chest Press
Superset:
- Rear Delt Fly
- Banded Lateral Walk
Directions
- For Straight Set, complete 5 to 8 reps. Rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Complete 4 sets total.
- For Circuit, complete 8 to 12 reps of the first exercise; rest for 60 to 90 seconds before going on to the second exercise. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds before going to the third exercise. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds after all three are done, and then repeat from the top. Complete this circuit 3 times total.
- For the Superset complete 12 to 15 reps of the first exercise. Rest for 30-60 seconds before going on to the second exercise. Rest 30-60 seconds, and then repeat from the top. Complete this superset 3 times total.
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Katie Thompson
Romanian Deadlift
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your thighs. Alternatively, you can use a barbell; use an overhand grip and hold it with your hands shoulder-width apart (your hands should be slightly outside of your legs).
- Hinge at your hips, bending slightly at your knees. Push your butt way back and keep your back flat. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor, and the weight should reach your shins.
- Keeping your core tight, push through your heels to stand up straight. Keep the weight close to your shins as you pull.
- Pause at the top and squeeze your butt. This is 1 rep.
This staple lower-body exercise strengthens your hamstrings and your glutes; it’s a real back-of-the-body burner. You can use dumbbells or a barbell for this move.
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Katie Thompson
Pullover
- Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent, or on a flat bench with your feet planted on the floor.
- Grip a dumbbell securely at both ends with each hand. (If your dumbbell is larger, it might feel safer to hold it vertically, with both hands around one end.) Lift it into the air directly above your chest, keeping your arms straight.
- Slowly bring the dumbbell over your head.
- Bring the weight back to the starting position, engaging your core as you move the weight. This is 1 rep.
This exercise works your lats as well as your chest—plus your core fires too as you bring the weight over your chest. You can do this on a mat or a bench.
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Katie Thompson
Split Squat
- With your feet underneath your shoulders and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, step your one foot forward as if you were doing a forward lunge; keep your heel firmly planted. This is the starting position. (Alternatively, you can do this with a barbell placed across your upper back as pictured.)
- Bend both knees to create 90-degree angles with your legs. Your chest should be upright and your torso should be slightly forward so that your back is flat and not arched or rounded forward. Your forward quad should be parallel to the floor. Your butt and core should be engaged.
- Push through your planted foot to return to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
- Complete all your reps on one side. Then switch sides and repeat.
A single-leg exercise that works your quads and glutes, the split squat is a great way to build balanced strength on each side to help make sure a stronger side isn’t taking over. Do this with dumbbells or a barbell.
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Katie Thompson
Chest Press
- Lie faceup with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, or on a bench with your feet planted on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your legs and your elbows on the floor bent at about 90 degrees so that the weights are in the air. You can also do this with a barbell; your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. This is the starting position.
- Press the weight toward the ceiling, straightening your elbows completely and keeping your palms facing your legs. Pause here for a second.
- Slowly bend your elbows and lower them back down to the floor. This is 1 rep.
The chest press works your pecs, triceps, and shoulders. Use dumbbells or a barbell if you’d prefer. You can do this on a mat or on a flat bench too.
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Katie Thompson
Rear Delt Fly
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand with your arms at your sides, elbows slightly bent.
- With your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, push your butt back, and bend your knees slightly, so that your back is no lower than parallel to the floor. (Depending on your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility, you may not be able to bend so far over.) Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your feet to keep your neck in a comfortable position.
- Keeping your back flat, core tight, and elbows bent, raise your arms out to the sides until they are in line with your shoulders. Pause for a second, and then lower your arms back down to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
Make sure to keep your back straight in this upper-body move, which gives some love to your often-neglected rear delts.
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Katie Thompson
Banded Lateral Walk
- Place a mini-band above your thighs. (Alternatively, you can do this with just your bodyweight if you prefer.) Stand in a quarter-squat position (a shallow squat), with your feet about hip-width apart, and your hands at your chest or on your hips.
- Take a step to the right with your right foot, so that your feet are wider than hip width. Follow with your left foot so that your feet are hip-width apart again. This is 1 rep.
The side-to-side aspect of this move has you working in the frontal plane of motion, which helps prepare your body for the changing directions you experience in…everyday life.
Demoing the moves above are Francine Delgado-Lugo (GIFs 1 and 5) a strength coach and co-founder of Form Fitness Brooklyn; Chad Ryan (GIF 2), a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and life coach; Lauren Leavell (GIFs 3 and 6), a NASM-certified personal trainer and founder of Leavell Up Fitness; Winnie Yu (GIF 4), a doctor of physical therapy, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and running specialist
Francine Delgado-Lugs wears: Top by Aritzia; pants by Yitty; and shoes by Alo. Chad Ryan wears: Top by On Running; shorts by Reebok; and shoes and socks by Alo. Lauren Leavell wears: Top and leggings by Beyond Yoga; shoes by Reebok; and socks by Alo. Winnie Yu wears: Jacket by Splits59; and leggings, socks, and shoes by Alo.
BowFlex 5.1S Adjustable Weight Bench by Bowflex.
